The Old Man at Bus Stand

The Old Man at Bus Stand

As I left the auto-rickshaw, I started running and running fast. Rushing towards the bus stand. Eventually at the bus stand, looking at the plat form no. 6; I actually shouted "Where is the bus?"

Turning towards the enquiry counter, asked there "Excuse me sir, the bus going from Nanded to Parli Vaijnath scheduled at 9:30 am has left the station?"

"Oh boy, the bus just left. You are bit late!" he replied feeling anxious for me.

"OK, what about the next bus?" making no further delay I asked hopefully.

"At 10:30 am" he replied.

"Alright" me.

            Now, I had 50 minutes to go for the next bus for me. Looked for the place to sit; selected one, went there and seated. The atmosphere at bus stand Nanded was bit crowded. I brought out a news paper from my bag and started reading it to make things happen for passing the time.

            In the meantime somebody sat beside me. I looked at them, they were an old couple. The old lady was quite admirable; she might be at the age about 65, but her beauty was hiding her age. And that old man, must be at the age of 72; But still having very strong body. Looking at him, I anticipated that; he must be very strict during his whole life.

            "Just because of you, we missed the bus. Now we have to wait for the next bus." The old man almost screamed at his wife.

"Why are you blaming me? It was not my fault, it was just the traffic" old lady replied calmly.

"Yeah, but you walk with really slow speed; that made us more late" anger was still in his solid voice.

"I know you hate waiting; but there in no point in getting angry now." Lady replied silently.

"Well, I am not getting angry at all" decreasing the intensity of his voice.

            Suddenly, I saw a beggar; coming towards me. I went deep in to the news paper to avoid him. The beggar waited for me to give him a beg; but turned ahead, getting no indication from me. Now beggar turned to that couple. "Just go ahead" that old man was already angry; just changed the targeting person this time.

            After a while, all of a sudden; "OH MY GOD" someone almost cried. Everybody there looked towards voice coming. A policeman was beating a person. "He must be thief" someone from crowd shouted. Another policeman coming at me asked "The thief has told me that, he has taken this bag from the place you are sitting; is it yours?"

"Nope" I replied honestly.

"Excuse me, that’s mine" looking at the bag the old lady said in hurry.

"Just check your bag, that thief has almost stolen it" policeman replied.

"What? You careless lady" the old man to his wife; getting more angry he ran towards the thief.

"You bastard! You tried to rob me, an Ex. Army soldier. I'm gonna kill you" the old man slapped twice to the thief before policeman stopped him.

"Gentleman, behave yourself; just go and check your bag. Leave him to me, I'll look after him" the policeman.

Coming back, the old man checked his bag and told the policeman "It's OK"

Everybody was watching the whole dram. Two policemen went for the police station along with the thief. And the drama ended.

After the drama, the old lady brought biscuits from her purse and asked her husband "You want it?"

"Give me only four of them" the old man ordered.

"OK, take these" the lady.

            Looking at the dogs out there he called them "You, cha, cha, cha, cha"

Two of them came at the old man and were looking towards him hopefully; barking at each others. The old man taken a biscuit and thrown it in between two dogs. The more athletic of the two, tried his best and grabbed the biscuit in his mouth. The second dog looking at him barked loudly. The first one ran away. Other dog was still there, hoping for another biscuit.

The old man taken another biscuit, shown it to the hungry dog there; instead of throwing it, he just ate it himself.

"You just lost the battle soldier!" the old man almost talked to the dog.

"Go away, HADHA" the old man yelling at the dog.

            Suddenly, a voice "Hello sir" a boy smiling at the old man asked him "You are having any zipper to repair of your bags?"

"Well, you came here at the right time, I have one for you" the man smiling for the first time replied.

"This is the one" showing the bag's zipper to boy, the old man said.

"I will fix it with the ease, within 5 minutes sir." Boy said.

"Fix it, as it'll not require any further repairing" the old man politely ordered.

"Yes sir, I'll try my best" the boy answered.

The old man asked curiously "You go to school?"

"Yes, at morning I work here and in afternoon I go to school daily. I love going there" the boy answered while doing work.

"Oh that’s good!" the old man felt good about him.

"Take this sir, problem fixed for the zipper of your bag" the boy showing bag to the old man.

"How much?" old man asked for his repairing charges.

"Just five rupees" the boy showing five fingers.

 "Take this ten rupees note", old man.

"Sorry sir I don’t have change; please give the change", the boy.

"No, no just keep the change" the old man being kind to the boy.

"Thank you sir" the boy thanked him joyfully.

"Actually, I like the school going kids and you help to your family too!" the old man smiling at him.

            In the meantime, a bus arrived at the plat form no. 6; the bus I was waiting for, finally arrived. People ran towards the bus so as I; to grab a sit for me.